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NewsDay

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Govt vows to descend on land barons, co-operatives

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Mutare — The majority of housing co-operative leaders and land developers are “nefarious malcontents” duping people of their hard-earned cash, a senior government official has said.

Mutare — The majority of housing co-operative leaders and land developers are “nefarious malcontents” duping people of their hard-earned cash, a senior government official has said.

KENNETH NYANGANI

Speaking at the Destiny of Afrika Network (DaNet) organised Manicaland Provincial World Habitat Day commemorations in Dora outside Mutare yesterday, the director of housing in the Local Government ministry, Lexton Kuwanda, said the government would not hesitate to repossess land from co-operatives failing to service their allocated land.

He said, on the other hand, housing co-operative leaders abusing members funds would be arrested, as the government moves to restore order in the housing development sector now dominated by land barons.

Kuwanda said it was particularly disheartening that co-operative members would be religiously paying subscriptions, but on the ground there was no notable development taking place.

He said with support from both local authorities and the financial services sector, housing co-operatives could deliver to their members.

“Let me challenge the local authorities and the financial institutions to be flexible and be swift in adapting to the changing times to meet contemporary needs of the dynamic housing sector, otherwise they risk becoming irrelevant,” he said.

DaNet’s Manicaland chairperson, Wilson Masokowere said over 2 000 stands had been successfully serviced and occupied by beneficiaries in Mutare alone. He said Plot 1 in Dora was expected to accommodate 1 482 stands, whose servicing was now nearing completion.

Minister of State for Manicaland Province Mandi Chimene said World Habitat Day was important to “alert the world on its collective responsibility for the future human habitat, both in urban and rural areas”.

“The absence or lack of housing is indeed a major indicator of poverty,” she said.